Fire Escape

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Dynamite

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It is often thought that either at least one upstairs window must have an opening large enough for a person to climb through in the event of a fire, or two outer doors, or a separate staircase. With the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, there are no hard and fast rules for the provision of fire escapes. Flats in HMOs and houses in single occupation or shared houses are all regarded as residential property. To determine the requirement for fire escapes, the Environmental Health Department of the Local Authority would need to carry out a risk assessment for fire. The layout of the building, number of occupants, etc. would be important considerations in the risk assessment. As a landlord, you must ensure that there is adequate means of escape in case of fire. An early warning system fitted to each floor of the building, mains operated and inter-linked is advisable. After a risk assessment, if it was found essential to improve the means of fire escape, the Local Authority would serve notice on the property owner, being the Landlord, requiring him to do the work.